Dear Editor:
Sometimes I wonder where we would be as a society without bullying! It's ironic to see popular politicians jump on the bandwagon on anti-bullying campaigns, considering the obvious fact that a politician is a bully by nature. They wouldn't win an election otherwise. We know what happens to politicians who take the clean image-approach to an election; they usually lose.
Bullying is natural, we see it everywhere. It's in the home, churches, businesses, predatory business practices, offices, in sporting activities, in the schoolyard, among colleagues and friends. It is as natural as nature itself.
What we must learn to distinguish the difference between bullying and criminal activities. Unnecessary harassment, physical assault and defamation of character by pathetic sociopaths by both sexes and all ages are what we must learn to identify and punish accordingly.
We forget sometimes that bullying is a learned behaviour, mostly at home by feuding and misguided parents who are overbearing and controlling. They tend to be stage parents; they partake in the activities of their children and or activities surrounding their activities. It becomes part of their upbringing and social DNA.
Bullying has always been with us and always will be there. The only difference today versus the past is that it is being more and more exposed by modern technology and the mass media.
J.W. Christophersen, Burnaby
